Well, it’s about forty minutes from go time for the second presidential debate, so I’m going to kick off the liveblogging festivities. You can check out my debate preview here, and I’ll give you the quick rundown below the fold.

As always, we welcome everyone to join us in our liveblogging. This is easily done because all of the liveblogging takes place in our comments section; you can join in with me at any time you want. I only ask that nobody spam, and no one get too foul of a mouth (I will of course forgive the occasional curse word).

I will be watching this via CNN.com’s live feed, though you should be able to watch on any number of television channels, MSNBC.com’s website, and even hulu.com (which I personally love, but the screen size over there would make it difficult for me to live blog).

Again, I’m going to give this debate over to Obama. I know, big surprise, but I’ll tell you why.

First and foremost, we have to remember that this debate is occurring in context. Depending on which poll you look, McCain is down by anywhere from six points to double digits nationally, and depending on which electoral map you look at, Obama is either in striking distance of the big 270, or he’s already well out ahead of that.

With that taken into consideration, you have to remember that every big opportunity to “change the game” that McCain doesn’t capitalize on only moves the percentages of an Obama win higher. This was the second to the last debate, this was McCain’s second to last chance to really win over a series of news cycles in his favor, and I think on that note, McCain really failed.

Obama has made it clear exactly what his persona and his strategy will be for the rest of the general election. On strategy, it will continue to be slow and steady wins the race, and on persona, it will be the “cool hand at the tiller” that McCain meant. In this fashion, while McCain paced and occasionally dipped into cranky old man behavior, when McCain made the call that the country needs that “steady hand” what he may not have realized is that his opponent far better resembles that characterization.

By contrast, McCain still comes across, as I mentioned above, as cranky, and at times outright disrespectful. While it’s a little vague which candidate got a better response from the independents in a positive manner, it was plain as day that they showed their disapproval the most when McCain went on the attack. On top of that, I think one of the most telling portions of the debate was in regards to Obama’s stance on Pakistan.

McCain blatantly mischaracterized Obama’s Pakistan policy, Obama clarified it right there, and even said, paraphrasing here, ‘and the people in the audience heard me say it just now’, and then McCain tried to mischaracterize the policy yet again. That really didn’t go over well.

Granted, neither candidate’s attacks went over particularly well, but I think McCain’s reputation for sleaze is really starting to reap some terrible benefits now.

So, what we saw tonight were two candidates, and one was clearly still more presidential, and one was John McCain. The focus group providing the mood meter appears to back that up, and the quick glance I saw at CNN’s analyst score card also seems to have backed that up. Now we just have to wait for the flash polls and other focus groups.

…while McCain paced and occasionally dipped into cranky old man behavior, when McCain made the call that the country needs that “steady hand” what he may not have realized is that his opponent far better resembles that characterization.

No, he did not realize it at all. Not at all. The man has absolutely no self-awareness.

The teabag thing.. it isn’t popular. It’s something I made up in the last debate open thread, where Kyle instituted a no profanity rule and my feeble mind searched for ways to express itself. At random, I blurted out that Palin is a “lying sack of wet teabags” — which forms a visual akin to a sack of shit — and when Kyle said “wet tea bags” right afterwards, I sensed that I had a winner.

Tas, it’s funny, because the only slang association I have with “teabag” is the famous thing that Donald Trump’s first wife, Ivana, said (after they divorced). She said that a woman is like a teabag: the longer she’s in hot water, the stronger she gets. I’ve always loved that metaphor, and it struck me as interesting that used another way it’s a negative metaphor.

And just so you know, while I still don’t have my SNAP POLLS AND FOCUS GROUPS! the left is already up in arms over “That one!” Good effing catch Kathy. I frankly missed it. Granted, I’m also used to this petulant crap from McCain towards Obama.

Eli at Firedoglake commented on how appealing it was when Obama referred to Michelle in answering the last question. “A very appealing and warm response.” I agree, and this is what I’ve been thinking (and sometimes saying) a lot: that Michelle is one of his best assets. Not just as a person, but the relationship they have. Such respect, such love, such closeness.

Kathy, I’m afraid I have a less honorable reason for thinking of “teabag”. Teabagging is a somewhat sexual act where a man touch his nutsac to somebody else’s forehead, and for some reason that was going through my mind while Palin spoke. Why? I have no clue.

Perhaps this is a reflection of the fact that I earn a fair chunk of my living by partying, but I’ve heard a number of negative associations with the term “teabag” – in fact, “teabagging” is a commonly referred to verb, though I’ll not describe it for fear of violating the no profanity rules. 😆

Perhaps this is a reflection of the fact that I earn a fair chunk of my living by partying, but I’ve heard a number of negative associations with the term “teabag” – in fact, “teabagging” is a commonly referred to verb, though I’ll not describe it for fear of violating the no profanity rules.

Possibly that is it, Kyle. In John Waters’ “Pecker”, though, he has a man smacking another man in the forehead. Maybe he did such because of the ratings system and wishing not to get an NC-17 rating? But whenever I need a goto man for perversions, John Waters is, uhm.. Well, ever seen “Pink Flamingos”? And that scene where “Surfin Bird” is played? If so, then yeah. You know what I’m talking about.

Well, I gotta start closing down the office so I again wanted to thank everyone for stopping by and having a great time with us. These debate liveblogging events are really turning out to be a great time. Thanks Kathy, tas, Terry, Radical Moderate, Dynamic, Teacher!

Definitely a party, and I hope I can take part in this at least one last time with you guys a week from tomorrow night. Thank you all so much, and good night.